


Stolen my heart

by callmearenegade



Series: Burgled The Burglar [2]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: F/M, Tumblr: ImaginexHobbit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-24
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-07-26 12:18:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7573774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/callmearenegade/pseuds/callmearenegade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Based on Imagine telling Nori he’s stolen your heart and he refuses to give it back, but instead tells you he’ll give you his in return<br/>Imagine being the one to bail Nori out, and him having to tell you why<br/>Part 2 of Burgled the Burglar but can be read seperate</p>
    </blockquote>





	Stolen my heart

**Author's Note:**

> Based on Imagine telling Nori he’s stolen your heart and he refuses to give it back, but instead tells you he’ll give you his in return  
> Imagine being the one to bail Nori out, and him having to tell you why  
> Part 2 of Burgled the Burglar but can be read seperate

Thora grumbled as she pressed the cold cloth to the purple bruise. The ginger hissed below her hand as she used a corner to dab the blood away from the scratch along his eyebrow. Idiot, she hissed and wiped the dried blood droplets from the red hairs in his brow.

“ Thora,” Nori started.

“ Shut up!” She silenced with an unnecessarily hard press to the bruise on his cheek.

Thora had had enough of the thief for the day. Her morning had been entirely peaceful, she had spent the morning shopping in the square with the hot sun and cool breeze making the day perfect. The perfect painting of flowers and grass swirling in the wind and dwarves blending in a blurry wave of faces she didn’t care about. It was shredding, however, when Ori had stumbled up to her, a pile of self-conscious and awkward energy wrapped in skin and knitted wool, and all but pleaded with her to tell him where Nori was. It was an odd occurrence when the dwarrow didn’t know the whereabouts or her troublemaking friend, an even odder occurrence now that they had gotten closer after the burglary incident but it was one of those occurrences. The dwarrow had to stop the forest fire of worry that was threatening to burn poor little Ori to the ground. So, she had promised to find him and have him home by dinner. 

Tracking down the red headed cretin wasn’t nearly as difficult as she was hoping. In any other scenario, the short search would smother the flames of annoyance and anger in her chest, but not with Nori. She had started to look for him where she hoped he wasn’t. She was going to pass by, look in the window, maybe even pop in and say hello in a way to rub it in that he wasn’t there, but something in her heart told her it wasn’t going to be a simple ‘pop in and leave ‘ kind of visit. 

She passed by the old jail with clenched fist and stress bitten lips. Her hands traced across the siding as she moved to the entrance and gathered her strength. She had never been a prayer type of dwarf, though her mother had always hoped she would be a priestess - perhaps she always knew the type of trouble her daughter would get caught in- but she was praying to every and all gods above that she was wrong and Nori was tucked away, hiding somewhere from his ever meddling older brother. Oh, how they had been in vain. She had one foot over the threshold of the door when the ever grouchy royal guard looked expectantly at her.

“ Lady Thora. I was expecting you.” Dwalin grumbled with annoyance and a smug smile.

“ Why was that, Mister Dwalin?” She spoke, mock innocence and coyness heavy in her voice. It was a facade she had mastered over the years.

“ Surely you have, once again, come to retrieve your redheaded scoundrel.” He sat back in the old wooden chair and placed his feet on the table, ever the smug bastard who sent spikes of annoyance up her spine with his attitude. Would he die if he was just a little more like his brother? Thora heavily believed so.

“ So he is here?” She inquired with a soft voice. Dwalin nodded, hands stroking his beard as his eyes locked with hers. “ I so hoped he wasn’t.” She spoke honestly with a heavy sigh.

“ This is , what? The 10th time you’ve been here for him?” He shook his head. “ You’re wasting your time on him, Lass.” He sighed heavily and stood up from his seat.

“ He’s not a terrible dwarf, Dwalin. He’s my friend!” She defended, innocently.

“ He’s a thief.” Dwalin spoke plainly. “ You’re a respectable lass. He’s not someone to be friends with.” 

Thora looked at him for a moment, teeth grinding audibly as her fingers clenched.

“ What did he steal this time, Dwalin?” She inquired, voice serious for the first time since she walked in.

“ That’s classified. You know that.” He chuckled as he sorted through the files of paper work on the desk. 

“ That’s never stopped me before.” She smiled, but Dwalin could see the threat in her face.

“ But I am not Bradan.” Dwalin chastised. Thora sighed heavily and stomped her foot into the ground. 

“ Tell me his bail so I can get out of here.” She demanded with fire eyes that would have shrunk any lesser of a dwarf. 

“ You might want to sit down, Lassie.” The guard grumbled and wrote on a spare bit of parchment.

“ Excuse you?” She inquired, offended. Dwalin rolled his eyes and handed her the parchment. Her breath caught in her throat and came out in a surprised whistle.

“ Did he steal right off of Thorin or something?” She choked. Dwalin almost broke a smile again

“ He has a long list of offenses, Lass.” Dwalin confirmed as she sighed again and listed her head to look at the wooden ceiling above her.

“ Okay.” She breathed out and pulled out her money pouch.

“ You don’t have to bail him out, again.” Dwalin was positive.

“ He’s my friend, Dwalin.”

“ Let’s cut the crap, Thora. I knew your father, I was there the day of the bridge collapse when he died. I feel I owe it to him and to you to cut the crap!”Dwalin shouted.

“ Dwalin-” 

“ You are a great lass. Your reputation is as free of marks as your father’s was. And Nori is a scoundrel who is hopeless.” The bald dwarf scowled and rubbed his head.

“ Nori is my friend, Dwalin!” She protected.

“ I said CUT THE CRAP!” Dwalin shouted and slammed a tattooed fist onto the table. “ People are starting to talk, Thora. While your reputation may be spotless, Nori’s is dragging you down. You are dragging your reputation and the reputation your father work so hard for through the mud. Nori is a thieving nobody who will take your reputation, or otherwise.You will not be able to get it back and you will regret it.” Dwalin warned. 

“ You don’t know him. Not like I do.” Thora hissed. 

“ You’re father would be greatly disappointed in you.” Dwalin spoke. Thora’s mind froze as the words processed. Her hand absentmindedly stroked the silver steer head necklace that hung in the middle of her sternum.

“ Are you going to release him to me or not, Dwalin?” She spoke solemnly. The guard met her dark eyes and saw the sadness and hurt in her. Dwalin nodded his head and collected the coins on the table.

“ Come with me.” He sighed and walked to the cell at the end of the row. 

In the cell, she had found the pointy haired red head she called her friend. He sat, tracing the lines of the wooden floor boards. Thora stared at him, anger and annoyance rising in her chest again.

“ Let’s go, Nori.” She commanded. The red head bowed his head in shame as he rose to his feet. She grabbed him by the back of the neck and pushed him in front of her and lead the dwarf home.

It hadn’t been till she got him through her door and into the light that she noticed the black eye and various cuts upon his face and knuckles. So he had grabbed an old bucket and a few old rags to wipe up his mess. As always. 

“ Thora,” Nori tried again. 

“ What did you steal this time?” She growled.

“ I didn’t steal anything.” He answered, taking the towel from her hand and moving it under his sore eye.

“ Bullshit, Nori!” She shouted and stood. She paced a few steps away and sighed again, trying to move the anger from her.

“I would have had to steal right off of Dwalin or even Thorin to get this beat up!”He tried a joke. Thora looked at him wide eyed for a moment, Nori smiled wide. A smack met the side of his head and resounded through the room. Nori hissed a rubbed the sore side of his head.

“ I DIDN'T steal anything, Thora! I haven’t had to since you started helping us!” Nori shouted. Thora huffed and took the old cloth right from his hands.

“ Whatever, Nori!” She huffed and walked out of the room and into the kitchen. 

Thora leaned against the table and breathed. She could feel her heart pounding and could feel the heat in her face. She knocked her fist lightly against the surface a few times before it opened to a flat palm and continued the pattern. 

“ Thora,” Nori spoke softly, appearing in the doorway with a bowed head and rounded shoulders. “ I didn’t steal anything. I swear.” He swore, voice honest and soft, eyes ashamed but truthful as the dwarrow looked upon him. Satisfied, she nodded her head. She remained at the tabled, head back and eyes closed as she breathed.

Nori nodded his head after a moment and looked upon the dwarrow. She looked tired, physically and emotionally. He felt bad about it. It hurt him to see her so, and it hurt him even more to know he was the cause of it all. He went to leave, with a wave over his shoulder. She would be better off without him right now, he thought.

“ What did you do then, Nori?” She asked. Nori turned back to her to see her eyes still closed and head still back but mouth slightly parted. It made him think of how close he has been to her lips and how he longed to be close to her now. He doubted she would permit him to get any closer to her in her current mood. “ If you didn’t steal?” She finished.

Nori took a deep breath and shifted from foot to foot. He considered how to word the whole story and how much to tell her. He wasn’t ashamed, he just didn’t feel like she needed to know the whole story. She didn’t need the stress or the anger on her. She handled enough for him. 

“ I got into a fight at the pub.” He spoke honestly, shame in his voice. Nori could see Thora roll her eyes behind her eyelids.

“ You got drunk and got into a bar brawl. Why am I surprised?” She sighed heavily again.

“ I hadn’t had a drop! I was completely sober!” He defended. “ All I had had to drink that day was Dori rancid earl grey tea.” He gagged, disgusted. Thora cracked the beginnings of a smile, and Nori felt his heart lighten at the sight.

“ You had to be drunk to get into a fight, Nori. What other reason would there be?”She inquired, eyes now open and looking upon him brokenly. Nori nodded again, deciding that his story had to be told in full. He could not avoid it.

“ They were talking about you. In the bar. Some very terrible, crude things.” Nori growled with his face contorted in a fierce grimace. “ I couldn’t sit back and listen so I jumped in and told them to mind their tongue.” Nori admitted.

Thora looked at him, her face a mixture of horror and disbelief. Her eyes held a pained look of gratitude and her mouth quivered slightly as the emotions streamed through her in a dizzying blur. 

“ And when they refused to, you gave them a good punch to the jaw.” She mimicked a punch in the air.

“No, you honestly think I would be stupid enough to throw the first punch?” He shook his head with disbelief. “ Mcpheron was there and you know how that hot head likes to talk with his fists. I was only defending myself.” He opened and closed his fist, the bloodied and bruised skin pulling over the knuckles and aching dully.

“ How did that get you arrested?” She inquired as she walked over to him and ran her hands over the strained veins and muscles on his hand as she gripped his hand tightly. The movements all but stopped at her touch. The warm touch sent a wave of warmth and calm through him.

“ Dwalin just happened to be coming in with Balin and Thorin for a drink when the brawl broke out. You know how he enjoys a bit of violence and chaos.” Nori conceded watching Thora’s hands as she held onto his.

“ All that money because you were in drunken bar brawl that you didn’t even start.” She spoke with disbelief and a shake of her head. Her finger ghosted across the red inflamed skin on his knuckles. The dwarf before her hissed and pulled away from the light touch. Thora smiled sadly and brought the skin to her lips to place a gentle healing kiss upon the skin. Nori’s eyes widened in surprise before a bashful smile - that reminded her so much of his little brother- crossed his face for the slightest of seconds. It was soon replaced with shameful eyes again as he pulled his hand from her grasp.

“ I’ll pay you back for it, I promise. Every last coin.” Nori swore as he moved away from her.

“ No you won’t, Nori!” She shouted, moving toward him in angry steps. 

“ I will-” he started.

“ No, Nori!” She silenced him. “ You are going to go home, act on your best behaviour, and have dinner with your brothers. You are going to spend time with Ori - who was worried sick about you, by the way- and convince Dori you were NOT where you were. That is how you are going to repay me. Understand!?” She commanded, standing right in front of him, brown eyes locked with his.  
Nori stared for a moment. Neither relented even as the anger and frustration subsided. They remained frozen in their stance. 

“ Understood.” Nori promised, his head and face moving minutely closer.

Thora brought a hand to his face, thumb stroking upon his cheek before going up to trace upon a braided brow and then down to the curve of his lips. Her thumb rested upon his bottom lip for a moment. She wasn’t sure why his face was so intriguing all of a sudden. She wanted to believe that is was her motherly and healerly instincts that made her search every centimeter of his face for any bruise or slash. But something in her brain argued against the idea. She was struck with the idea that she had never really kissed him. Their lips had brushed with little more contact than the brush of butterfly wings. She felt drawn to change that. They had flirted and fought for so long, and she wanted to know if she had been missing anything. She didn’t want to think that way. She didn’t want to notice the strange warmth and longing she felt in her chest around him but she couldn’t fight it this time.

Nori had felt this odd craving for her since he had set his eyes upon her many years ago. He had craved her attention mostly, her eyes that always seemed so focused to be focused on him. She had always been so focused, her reputation as pristine as they come. She had had Thorin and Dis’ ears and eyes since she was legal. Her work was meticulous and showed her focus. He had craved her focus. He had craved her full, undivided attention. Once he had it, he noticed her big eyes, her contagious smile. He noticed her quick wit and flirty personality. He realized her beauty and how he wanted more than her attention. He wanted her. They flirted and argued and he wanted more than just her attention. It would be easy in this moment to reach down and kiss her, to try a soft tender touch, to feed the craving in him but he couldn’t. No he couldn’t. Despite the rumors, he was not the scoundrel who went about and corrupted and manipulated respectable dwarrows ( and women ) all over was a blatant lie. He had manners and morals and respect. And he had much respect for Thora. He would not put her in that situation. 

“ I must go if I am to keep your promise and be home by dinner.” He whispered as he pulled away. 

Thora looked surprised for a second. She faked a smile and nodded at him. 

“ I’ll see you soon.” He promised. Nora nodded again. The redhead turned to leave.

“ Nori!” Thora shouted, overly loud and desperate for the words to meet his ears. Thora quickly strided to the dwarf hands shaking slightly. She placed gentle hands on his chest while his eyes widened. Stretching up on her toes, Thora pressed a soft kiss to the bruised cheekbone above the ginger beard on his face. Within a second her lips were gone.

“ Be careful, you idiot. I refuse to get you out of anymore trouble.” She warned replacing her lips with gentle teasing slaps to the bruised flesh as she chuckled. Nori’s face scrunched up in a hilarious grimace before he caught her hand and whispered “ Yeah, yeah, whatever you say.” To no one in particular. The thief held her hand for a lingering second before he let it slide out of his and went out the door.  
Thora stood behind and listened to it close. She groaned and swore aloud. She swore at Nori, and Dwalin, and Durin, and even Mahal. Her head swam with thoughts and emotions that she unconsciously pushed away. She allowed herself to think only of how annoyed she was at the ginger fool. Her thoughts went to Dwalin’s words and how angry they made her. She saw the guard day in and day out and he always rubbed her the wrong way but the words seemed to hit a cord in her. He was just a pig-headed old dwarf who only saw what he wanted and was too bigoted to learn or change his view. He knew neither her nor Nori. He was just her idiot best friend, nothing more. Who wouldn’t bail their best friend out.. 10 plus times? Surely that just solidified their friendship? Dwalin just doesn’t understand.  
***  
Thora came home, the night cold and windy, after a long day. It had been dark and cold all day, the clouds coming in full force and darkening the sky like a blanket, and left her drowsy and lethargic all day. She had been working hard all week since she had bailed out Nori in the hope of making even a fraction of the money back. Lucky for her, the royal family was in need of her help. Despite her protests money wise, Dis always made sure she got paid. Despite being a princess, Dis was not one for charity, she felt all that worked for them deserved something. With Thorin - who grumbled the whole time-, and the little princes needing her help, she was in much better shape now than she had been previously. With that said, she was exhausted more often than not. She spent more time away from home than at it and she only wanted to collapse into her bed. But her stomach growled like a mighty warg and she was craving a sandwich. The small distance to the kitchen felt like a mile as she dragged her way to it, groaning the whole way. 

She lit the lantern easily, with little more than a flick of the match and minimal effort, and the kitchen was lit in an orange glow. She threw the fastest and simplest sandwich together and leaned against the counter to munch slowly on the thing. She had only had two bites when she decided it was not worth the effort of eating and her attention wandered away. Brown eyes scanned the old kitchen, noticing the dried food stains on the counters that she had meant to clean, but she was just too busy. She noticed the plates and bowls stacked perfectly in their cabinet, the towel tossed haphazardly onto the table, the brand new pot of golden flowers on the table. Wait, flowers? Thora hadn’t picked flowers. She awoke a bit more in that moment and pushed off her perch to investigate.

In an old, chipped vase - painted with little palm prints - were fresh golden dandelions and sunflowers that glowed beautifully in the orange candlelight. She didn’t own a vase or pick flowers. She wasn’t sure how they got there, but she felt a quick wash of calm and determination fill her. She felt like she could get through the week, just from the view of the flowers and the vase. Her eyes scanned over the flowers again, a joyful smile on her tired face. Under the circular bottom was a rectangular parchment with scratchy font on it. Looking at it, she knew instantly that it was Nori’s hand, the curl of the r’s and ¾ finished e’s that were not fully closed were his signature. It told of how Nori had decided to spend some time with his little brother and went to scout something for him to draw. Ori had made the - wise- decision to go to the fields on the outside of town where the flowers were growing. Ori had to pull a few to practice drawing them and Nori took them home while adding a few and thought that Thora could use some of the joy they provided. Her heart nearly burst at thought. Nori was not a bad dwarf, never had been, and this would prove it to anyone, if he was unconcerned enough about his ego and image to tell anyone. Thora smiled and stroked a gentle finger along the flower’s soft petals. Nori had even provided a vase, one that had his own childhood palm prints on it, when he remembered a previous conversation where Thora mention all of her vases being at her mother’s. Thora gave the flowers a quick smell and blew out the candle. Just a couple more days and her work would be done. Somehow, she felt she could make it.

***  
“ Thora!” Nori shouted, as a way of announcing his presence. He had always felt knocking a door was too predictable and went against everything he learned being a thief.  
Thora sent a wave his way as she finished the last bit of paperwork in her lap. Nori jumped onto the couch beside her.

“ I thought you were done with work now?” Nori questioned, taking the paper form her hand and skimming over it. 

“ Work is never done. I’m scheduling.” She explained with an amused smile as she pulled the paper from his hands. 

“ Do that later! I haven’t seen you all week!” He whined. “ I have news!” He insisted and hid the paper between his back and the couch. Thora smiled and looked upon him expectantly.

“ Alright, you annoying git.” She mollified, hands tapping his thigh.

“ Well, before I enlighten you with my amazing news, What was it like working for the grumpy ol’ prince?” He teased, leaning back into the plush material.

“ He’s just as majestic as the rumors. The princelings though. They are adorable. They say please and thank you - unlike someone I know- “ she hinted with a roll of her eyes “ and they are always messing around and rough housing and generally just big balls of energy.” She explained with a smile. Thora leaned back into the couch, matching the position of her friend beside her. She put her legs onto Nori’s lap as he rolled his eyes at her.

“ You poor thing.” He chastised. 

Thora and Nori went on for a while, the two laughing and talking till the sun was setting.

“ So, Nori, you had news?” She asked through laughs, her hands on his arm, her head resting on his shoulder.

“ Oh, yeah!” He spoke excitedly. “ So i’m going on an adventure with some friends of mine from my teenage years.” He yelled, practically vibrating with excitement. Thora tensed, her smile fading faster than a black dress in the sun.

“ You’re going to be leaving?” She questioned, voice tense as her heart stopped.

“ Yeah. We are going to explore the world.Just a group of rascals and our wits out to explore the world!” He gushed. Thora sat up, face fierce in a way that Nori had not seen before in his life.

“ How long are you going to be gone?” She hissed. Nori was taken aback, brows furrowing. 

“ I don’t know, a couple of years? We didn’t discuss it.” He explained.

“ And Dori is okay with this!?” She shouted, anger rising. 

“ I haven’t asked him! Are you not excited for me?” Nori questioned.

“ You have to go!” Thora shouted as she stood. Nori jumped up in surprise. 

“ Thora-” Nori started.

“ I have work to do. You need to leave.” She insisted, pointing to the door as her eyes threatened to tear.

“ Thora I-” 

“ Get out!” She insisted one last time as her voice cracked and her voice threatened to close. 

Nori looked at her for a second. He noticed the anger in her eyes and the underlying hurt there. He longed to hold her and reached a hand toward her before shaking his head and leaving. He pulled the door open, the sky outside dark with clouds that threatened to storm. With a look over his shoulder, Nori walked out and closed the door behind him.

As soon as the door was closed, Thora dropped to her knees. She held back the tears and pounded her fist against the floor with anger and frustration. The worst thing for her was that she wasn’t sure why she was so upset. Nori had all the right to leave. If he wanted to leave, perhaps her life would even be easier. She could find other friends. She could even go somewhere else if she wanted to. Her life didn’t revolve around this one dwarf. So why was she so angry, so upset. Why did she feel like screaming at the top of her lungs? Why did her chest hurt so much?  
**  
Nori walked into his room. He had just escaped the storm by little more than a single step but his life felt suddenly like it was caught in a windstorm. He had never, in the years he had known Thora, seen her like that. She had looked so angry and upset . Was there a hint of betrayal there too? He could have sworn he say a flash of it in her eyes. He had thought she would be happy to have him out of her life. He had thought she would love the idea of him going on an adventure. He had decided to go on the adventure because of her. He felt that - mahal, smite him for thinking it- that Dwalin was right. She deserved much better than him as a friend. He was just destroying her. He hadn’t meant to, he would never hurt her. It appeared, however, that just being around her was pulling her down. He realized he cared too much about her to allow that. He had cost her way to much money and time to afford himself her reputation as well. He cared for her and mahal knows he would miss her, but he would leave her to find someone else. Surely her anger is only a result of the unexpected news. 

All the same, Nori pulled the old, hidden bottle of whisky from the hiding spot carved into the old closet in his room. The drink burned his throat as he swallowed it. Only one sip. While he normally would have finished the bottle, but it just didn’t feel right. For the first time in his life, he felt like drinking wouldn’t help the situation.

Dori and Ori had gone out to the pub and Nori sat alone in a quiet house. He couldn’t get over the uneasiness that kept creeping up on him. It was seeping into his chest. It left his fidgety and anxious.  
He jumped slightly when a knock resounded throughout the house. The knock was followed quickly by thunder that had him rushing for the door. Did Ori forget his keys again? Idiot is going to die without him. Get a cold and actually die all because he can’t remember his key. He’ll have to glue it to his butt before he leaves. 

As soon as the door was opened, Thora rushed in, thoroughly soaked to the bone. Her face was angry. Her eyes looked broken.

“ Thora-” Nori started before she grabbed him by the shoulders in an angry grip.

“ You asshole son of a Goblin!” She shouted. “ Give it back!” She pleaded, her voice broken.

“ What?” Nori stuttered, hands gripping hers in a comforting hold.

“ You took it. Give it back to me! I want it back!” She sobbed, her eyes glowing with tears.

“ I didn’t take anything, Thora.” He whispered. Thora pulled him closer, her body fully against his. Nori could count the tears in her eyes.

“ Yes you did! Give it back!” She sobbed, body collapsing slightly. Her head rested lightly against his shoulder. 

“ I don’t know what you are talking about.” He calmed. He moved one large hand to her cheek, pulling her head up so his eyes could look into the brown eyes that held so much hurt.

“ My heart. You horrible son of a orc! You took it! And you are going to leave and I want it back!” She shouted with the last of her strength. “ Please, give it back!” She pleaded. Nori’s heart froze in his chest. Then it pounded a mile a minute. Nori looked upon the girl softly. Now or never.

“ I can’t.” He whispered, brushing his thumb across her high cheek bones. “ But I can give you mine. You’ve had it all along.” He confessed, eyes twinkling with honesty and warmth. Thora let out a sob and a tear fell down her cheek. 

“ You asshole.” She breathed and gave a sad smile. “ Don’t break me.” She pleaded her grip on him increasing impossibly.

“ Wouldn’t dream of it.” He confessed. Pressing his forehead against hers. Thora nodded and let out a sigh. 

Nori pulled his head back and looked at her. Her brown eyes locked with his and the warmth that had sat in their chests finally made sense. All the pieces fell into place.

Thora looked into Nori’s eyes. A strong wave of bravery fell upon her and in one soft move to rose to press her lips to his. As if Mahal himself approved, a strike of lightning flashed. The electricity of the natural phenomenon couldn’t match the kiss that had spent so many years building.It was followed by another, and another as Nori leaned down to meet her and pressed his lips firmer to her’s. Thora ended with her arms wrapped around his neck, Nori had both of his hands in her long black tendrils of hair. 

“ Stay?” She begged. Nori smiled and bowed his head.

“ I will if you do.”

“ Moving a bit fast there, don’t you think?” Thora quibbed. Nori chuckled.

“ It’s storming. I can’t allow you to go out in a storm.” Thora nodded.

“ I’ll stay, but you should lower your expectations.” She quipped and walked down the hall to his room.

“ Noted!” He shouted as he followed her.

**  
Morning sun rose and cast its light through the window for the first time in a few weeks. The light landed upon Thora and covered her tan skin in a warm glow. Nori’s hair shown copper in the light like rusted metal. The two looked at each other with sleepy smiles. Thora’s eyes shined the color of wheat in the light as Nori traced a gentle finger over a dark brow.

“ I didn’t even think about how you leaving would look.” Nori confessed guiltily. The dwarrow smiled widely.

“ I don’t care.” She confessed.

“ People will talk. Your reputation will be gone.” He concerned. 

“ I don’t care about it anymore.” She whispered, honestly. Nori smiled widely.

“ Come here,” He sat up and reached to the table beside him. “ I want you to have something.”

“ Nori!” She groaned. Nori only raised a single finger to quiet her protests. 

He moved to sit beside her, hands smoothing the long black locks. He twisted it about for a few seconds before he pulled away with a quiet Tahdah .  
Thora lifted a hand to the now braided waves and followed the length down to the bottom where her fingers froze.

“ Nori.” She gasped in awe, her eyes filling with heartfelt tears. At the bottom, she felt the dented metal of a bead she was very familiar with. The one she had stolen from him before. His mother’s bead that he cared about more than many of the things in his life.

“ Now, you can go out in the world. They will all know about you and I.” He smiled wide. Thora reached around her neck and unclasped the necklace around her neck before she reached around and clasped around Nori’s neck.

“ Now you have a bit of me with you too.” She gushed and ran a hand over the old silver steer head necklace. Nori nodded before leaning forward and pressing another kiss to Thora’s lips. Thora pulled the redhead closer by the chain around his neck, hands creeping up his neck-.

“ Hey, NORI!” Ori shouted, the front door opening. 

Just like that, the new couple had some explaining to do.


End file.
